Global Mission
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@IF
"You Won't Go Away Alive"
Nicola Levterov
When Nicola Levterov, an Adventist worker in a Muslim area
of Bulgaria, arrived as a special guest at the home of a Turkish family, he
found many others invited also. After washing Nicola's feet, the group
seated themselves cross legged on the floor around the table containing
baklava, a special treat, in the center. Nicola began telling them about
Creation, sin, Abraham, and Jesus.
A door behind Nicola opened, and instantly fear froze on all
faces. Men formed a circle around the seated group. Into the middle of
the table the leader thrust a big knife downward, going completely through
both the metal baklava dish and wooden table.
"I know you have come to change our beliefs. You won't go
away from this house alive," said the three fanatics (otherwise known as
"friendly"!).
Nicola answered, "I am speaking of the God in which you
believe. I call him God; you call Him
Allah.
You have 125,000 prophets,
but only five were the greatest." "Yes," the leader answered.
Nicola wrote down the names of the five great prophets:
Abraham, Moses, David, Mohammed, and Jesus. "Who can save us from
our sins?" he asked. "Only one who is clean, without sin, and righteous."
Nicola told the story of Abraham. "Can one who lied be our
Saviour?" "No," the stranger agreed.
Nicola told the story of Moses. "Can someone who murders be
our Saviour?" "No."
Nicola told the story of David. "Can an adulterer be our
Saviour?" "No."
Nicola told the story of Mohammed. "Can someone who
murders his friends to take their wives be our Saviour?" "No."
Nicola proceeded to tell the story of Jesus, and how even His
enemies found Him sinless. "Because He lived a perfect life, I believe
Jesus Christ is my Saviour."
Nicola said no more. One by one the strangers left, leaving the
death weapon stuck in the table. Someone whispered, "You were dead.
Only God helped."
When Nicola left the house he saw parked outside a horse-drawn
cart. A man was waiting, as instructed, with empty grain sacks—intended
to be the body bags for Nicola's dismembered body!
Soon afterward Nicola saw the leader who had threatened his
life. The man confided to Nicola that he was having some problems.
Nicola invited him to his home, where his wife, Pepa, cooked lunch for
them! Then Nicola gave him a Bible, and they parted as friends!
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